Feb. 24 (UPI) — A high-flying object that triggered a fighter jet scramble was likely just a hobby balloon and has since exited U.S. airspace, North American Aerospace Defense Command officials announced Saturday.
NORAD said in a statement issued to media outlets the small balloon that U.S. fighter aircraft intercepted over Utah on Friday was probably of civilian origin and not a threat to national security.
The balloon was flying at an altitude of about 43,000 to 45,000 feet when intercepted.
NORAD said it and the Federal Aviation Administration continued radar-tracking the balloon until it exited U.S. airspace during the night.
The balloon was about 50 feet tall and carried a small cube about 2 feet wide, CNN reported.
The balloon is much smaller than a Chinese spy balloon that the U.S. military shot down early last year. In that case, the balloon traveled across the United States before being shot down near the Atlantic coast while it still was in U.S. airspace.
Chinese officials said it was a weather balloon and not a spy balloon, but Secretary of State Antony Blinken delayed a diplomatic visit to Beijing due to the incident.
A mysterious object was spotted over Illinois in September but was not of Chinese origin.
